Luminous fountain with changeable colored light



May 26, 1959 G. TRUCCO 2,

LUMINOUS FOUNTAIN WITH CHANGEABLE COLORED LIGHT Fil ed May 9, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5/ 3a 29 5 n 55 6 35 50 30 3o 50 FIG. 7 1

' INVENTOR GMT/41ml YZucao v BY 47 '%9-w ATTORNEY-9 May 26, 1959 G. TRucco 2,888,205

LUMINOUS FOUNTAIN WITH CHANGE-ABLE COLORED LIGHT Filed May 9, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eran for Giovanni Trucco United States Patent LUMINOUS FOUNTAIN WITH CHANGEABLE COLORED LIGHT Giovanni Trucco, San Remo, Italy Application May 9, 1956, Serial No. 583,749

Claims priority, application Italy October 15, 1955 16 Claims. (Cl. 239-20) This invention relates generally to water fountains, and more specifically to an improved water fountain having illuminated sprays, and having a construction suitable for indoor use.

Although the principles of the present invention may be included in various illuminated fountains, a particularly useful application is made whenjthe principles of this invention are incorporated in a unitized electrically operated structure.

The present invention contemplates a structure includ: ing a base within which are disposed the various control elements, a sump bowl within which is provided a source of light, the color of which may be contniuously varied, and various upwardly directed nozzles. To effect color variation, a transparent color disk is provided intermediate the source of light and the Water surface, which disk is rotated by the flow of water against the disk, the disk being submerged in the water. A filter or screen and a second bowl and second water jet may also be included. The source of. light is laterally disposed with respect to the rotational axis of the disk which, having a plurality of colored'sectors, enables the illumination of one sector at' a time, and hence the continuous variation of the color effects within the fountain. The disk may' be rotated at an adjustable speed, and the filter segments or sectors may have a broken line contour to produce a gradual change fromone color to the next, thus producing a composite transitional color efiect.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an illuminated water fountain of improved structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a water fountain having variable color effects.

Yet another object is the provision of a fountain having an extremely efficient system of' illumination.

Still another object is the provision of a fountain having" means for producing an aesthetically pleasingdisplay.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of. the present invention will become manifest to those versed; in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodimentincorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical section of the fountain, partly in elevation;

Figure 2 is a slightly enlarged View taken along line II- .-,II of Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Figure 3 is a view. of. the rotating disk;.and

Figure 4 represents, at an enlarged scale, one of the nozzles which may be used to provide a jet flow of water.

As shown in the, drawings:

The principles of this invention are particularly useful when embodied in a water fountain such as illustrated in Figure 1. The luminous fountain generallyincludes. a

"2,888,205 Patented May 26,1959

2 base or supporting column 27, a sump bowl 39, and a collector bowl 7.

Inside the base 27, there is disposed a pump 16 from which a discharge or pressure pipe 15 and. to which a return or suction pipe 21 leads.

On the column 27, there rests a flange 26 having the v function of connecting the sump bowl 39 to the support.-

ing column 27. An annular reflector 14 having a seat 24 isreceived in an aperture in the bottom of the bowl 39, the reflector 14 being secured to the flange 26 as by a plurality of bolts 25. The joint at the seat 24. may be suitably 'gasketed.

The reflector 14 also serves. as a manifold or'distributor and is therefore made both annular and hollow as shown. Accordingly, the output or discharge pipe 15 from the: centrifugal pump. 16 leads into the interior of the. re-:- hector-distributor 14. A plurality of conduits or pipes 17' eachlead from the reflector distributor 14 to a second annular or toroidal manifold 6 disposed above the bowl 39, which pipes feed the. discharge water from the pumpto such second manifold. Also extending preferably from the outer sides of the reflector distributor 14 is at least one tube or pipe 18, the outer end of which is directed. against a "color filter disk 1 disposed adjacent thereto, for imparting a rotating motion to the disk 1. The, reflector-distributor 14 has a downwardly directed flange 19 forming a tubular portion through which passes the neck of a lamp bulb 2 which makes a water tight seal with a surrounding gasket 40 which is pressed against the neck of the bulb 2 by any convenient means, for example the plurality of bolts 29 which impart a squeeze to the packing so as to make water-tight thejoint between the lamp bulb 2 and the reflector distributor 14. Thus the bulb 2 has a globe portion. protruding inside the bowl 39 and a terminal portion extending into a lamp socket 41 within the column 27.

On one side of the reflector distributor 14, there is also secured a supporting lug or bracket 23 for a shaft 5 by which the. disk 1 is rotatably mounted.

The disk 1 is centrally disposed. with respect to the shaft 5, but the shaft Sis disposed eccentricallyrrelative to the bowl 39 and the lamp 2. Thus, upon rotation of the disk 1, the disk may present asingle colored" sector or portion thereof above the light source.

The disk is divided into sectors by means of downwardly protruding radial spokes 5b, which. are acted nozzle 3 carried at the extremity of the pipe-18l If desired, a valve 4- (Fig. 2) may be' included to regulate the flow through the pipe 18 and hence regulate the flow of water streaming out from the nozzle 3 to thereby regulate the speed of. rotation of. the disk 1. In thisiway, the duration of the color changing cycle can be shortened or lengthened, while with the valve 4 completely closed, the illumination of the fountain water is stopped" orinter rupted at an instantaneous color presentation,.a's desired. As best seen in Figure 3 each sector of the rotating disk 1 comprises atransparent' light filter 42-47, of dilferent color, and having a broken line contour. Thus as the disk is rotated, there is obtained a gradual change between a given color of light and the next color of light. For example, if one of the sectors is'yellow and" the next one is red, there will be a gradual changethrough the composite color, namely orange. The pipes 17 discharge into the interior of the upper manifold 6, or nozzle ring, which manifold has a p111 rality of nozzles 37 circumferentially distributed thereo'n',

from which spout a plurality of jets 38 of liquid constituting. the main fountain jets. A typical: structurefor the nozzle 37 is shownin. Figure 4, this particular nozzle beingmade of soft annealed brass or. copper, and being providedwith threads 48'whereby the, nozzlemay;

screwed to nipples 49 carried by the manifold. When the nozzles 37 are made of soft annealed material, which has a certain degree of deformability, the tip of the nozzles may be slightly deformed after installation on the manifold in order to obtain the most desirable direction and distribution of Water jets, such as may be desired when the fountain has been installed for operation.

The reflector distributor 14 further has suitable openings for the return or suction pipe 21 to extend therethrough. At the point where the pipe 21 extends through the reflector distributor 14, the reflector distributor 14 supports a cleansing filter 22 which communicates with the inlet to the return or suction pipe 21. Typically, the filter 22 comprises a large box of brass or copper screen having a slidable shutter or door 28, seen in Figure 2. The interior of the filter 22 is filled with a cleansing or filtering material, such as charcoal and the like. Thus the pump 16 draws the water in the fountain sump bowl 39 through the filter 22 before it is recirculated so that dust or other foreign matter collected by the water is continuously cleansed therefrom. Preferably at a point of time before the filter is fully contaminated, the filtering material of the filter 22 is replaced, flushed or regenerated, thus readying the fountain for further filtering or cleansing.

Above the bowl 39 there is disposed a contoured dish or shroud 29 which encloses the various components inside the bowl, including the nozzle ring or manifold 6, the nozzles 37, the piping 17, the disk 1, the reflector-distributor 14, and the filter 22. The dish or shroud 29 has a peripheral portion which engages the bowl 39. One part 31 of the periphery of the shroud 29 is downwardly directed and engages the bowl 39 as indicated, while another part 32 of the peripheral portion of the shroud 29 is laterally directed to engage the bowl 39 in a manner which provides a double bottom for the bowl 39 between which bottoms there is adequate clearance for the colored filter disk 1, thereby not interfering with the rotation of the disk 1. The shroud 29 has a series of apertures 51 which register with the nozzles 37 and also has a large central opening or aperture in which is received the small end of a funnel-shaped shield or tubular member 33. The shield 33 limits the included angle within which the bulb 2 may be directly viewed, thereby minimizing the glare from the light source. The shield 33 is generally bowl-shaped and is provided with a plurality of spokes 34 which support an upwardly extending threaded rod 11. The upwardly extending rod 11 adjustably supports a cone or circular member as by means of its threads. The upwardly extending rod 11 further supports the second bowl 7, preferably made of transparent material, and which serves a collecting function. The lower end of the bowl 7 is closed by a filter 9 which communicates with the interior of the cone 10. The cone 10, being vertically adjustable, defines with the bowl 7, a slot 12 of adjustable width. Thus Water from the inwardly directed nozzles 37 and comprising jets 38 falls into the bowl 7, passes through the filter 9 into the cone 10, and emerges through the slots 12 as a water bell 13, having a variable size depending on the position of the cone 11 with respect to the bowl 7. The water which falls into the bowl 7 impinges on a brush 8 which has bristles made of non-oxidizable material, such as nylon bristles or non-ferrous metallic wire, which bristles neutralize the energy acquired by the falling water and simultaneously deaden the noise produced by the falling of the water. Thus the water from the nozzles 37 strikes the brush 8, passes through the bowl 7 and filter 9, fills the cone 10, and emerges through the adjustable slot 12 as the water bell 13.

The shroud 29, resting sealably against the bowl 39, forms a water ring or perimetral annular channel 50 of generally U-shaped radial section separated from the water being recirculated, so that in this channel defined by the bowl 39 and the shroud 29, there can be placed aquatic and/or suitable plant life. Further, if desired, the perimetral annular channel 50 of the bowl 39 may be covered by a circular annular cover or lid 35 having various perforations or holes 36 through which various flowers or ornamental objects may be directed. An annular rib 30 may be provided on the shroud 29 for providing further support for the lid 35, to jointly, with the edge of the bowl 39, support the lid 35.

The operation of the fountain is as follows:

When the pump 16 is operated, the water is forced through the pipes 15 and 17, is distributed by the manifold 6, and from here spouts through the nozzles 37 to form jets 38. At the same time, water emerging from the pipe 18 and the nozzles 3 causes the disk 1 to rotate, thereby imparting colored light to the jets 38. The water of the jets 38 falls in a mufiled manner, without splashing, due to the effect of the brush 8 and the filter 9. Water collects in the cone 10 and forms the .bell 13, also colored by the light filtered by the disk 1. Water collects in the dished portion of the shroud 29 and spills over the shield 33 into the central aperture in the dish 29, flowing into the interior portion of the bowl 39 for cleaning by the filter 22 and recirculation by the pump 16.

To disassemble the fountain for cleaning, the transparent bowl 7 and filter 9 may be removed from the upwardly extending rod 11, there being typically a threaded joint therebetween. The dish-shaped shroud 29 may also lift away to give access to the internal components, all of which are merely resting in a stationary position ex-' cept for the shaft 5 carried by lug 23 which typically is secured by means of a screw. Upon removal of said screw the disk 1 may be removed. Likewise, the filter 22 may be removed for cleaning thereof.

It is to be understood that the constructional details of the fountain, its size, the number of nozzles, and the like may be varied, and other various minor modifica: tions might be suggested by those versed in the art. It should be understood, however, that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an illuminated fountain having an annular manifold, thereby having a central opening, the manifold being disposed below the water level of a bowl and having means for connection to the outlet of a circulating pump, a plurality of pipes connected to said manifold, and a plurality of upwardly directed nozzles communicating with said pipes, the improvement of: a lamp disposed axially within the opening of the annular manifold with its globe portion in direct engagement with the water in the bowl, the exterior surface of the manifold being shaped as a reflector and disposed about and immediately adjacent to said lamp in the water so as to efficiently reflect light from said lamp in an upward direction.

2. In an illuminated fountain having an annular manifold, thereby having a central opening, the manifold being disposed below the water level of a bowl and having means for connection to the outlet of a circulating pump, a plurality of pipes connected to said manifold, and a plurality of upwardly directed nozzles communicating with said pipes, the improvement of: a lamp disposed axially within the opening of the aunnular manifold with its globe portion in direct engagement with the water in the bowl, the exterior surface of the manifold being shaped as a reflector and disposed about and immediately adjacent to said lamp in the Water so as to reflect light from said lamp in an upward direction, and a multicolored disk rotatably mounted intermediate said manifold and the surface of the water in the bowl.

3. In a fountain having a bowl from which water is pumped for discharge through an annular nozzle ring disposed above the bowl, the improvement of: an annular dish supported by the bowl within the opening of the annular nozzle ring for receiving falling water discharged from the ring and for maintaining a level of water therein above the water level in the bowl, said annular dish having an inner periphery which is lower than its outer periphery and which defines a drain opening whereby said level is maintained and whereby water may overflow radially toward the center of said opening of said annular dish for direct return to the bowl.

4. In a fountain having a bowl for containing water, the improvement of: a source of illumination adapted to be disposed directly in the water and further adapted to transmit light upwardly through the water in the bowl, and a rotatably mounted multicolored disc disposed in the water for variably coloring said light and the water.

5. In a fountain having a bowl for containing water, the improvement of: a source of illumination supported by the bowl and disposed in the water and adapted to transmit light upwardly through the water in the bowl; 2. multicolored filter disc supported in the bowl for rotation about an axis adjacent to said source, said disk being in the bowl water to color said light; said disc having radially disposed axially directed portions; and means in the bowl for directing a current of water against at least one of said portions to rotate said disc to thereby vary the color of said light.

I 6. In a fountain having a bowl for containing water, the improvement of: a source of illumination supported by the bowl and disposed in the water and adapted to transmit light upwardly through the water in the bowl; a

multicolored filter disc supported in the bowl for rotation about an axis adjacent to said source, and disposed in the bowl water to color said light; and means in the bowl for directing a flow of water directly against said filter disc to rotate said disk and to thereby vary the color of said light at a restricted rate limited by the drag on said disk by the water in which said disk is disposed.

' '7. In an illuminated fountain having an illumination filter disc rotatable about an axis, the improvement of: a plurality of variously colored transparent sectors having edges disposed adjacent to each other in the disc, said edges each being irregularly broken, whereby when the disc is rotated to translate each sector past a point of illumination, an efiicient composite mixture of light occurs between said sectors.

8. In a fountain having abowl for holding a sump of water, and a pump communicating with the bowl for removing water therefrom, the improvement comprising, in combination: means for receiving and distributing pressurized water from the pump, said means being disposed within and supported by the bowl and immersed in the sump; means supported by and fluidly communicating with said first named means for upwardly discharging jets of water; and a contoured dish supported by the bowl over the sump and disposed above and .enclosing both of said means, said dish being apertured in alignment with each of said jets of water, and having a vertically directed central aperture through which water is rettu'ned from said dish directly to the bowl.

9. A fountain comprising in combination, a plurality of generally circularly disposed upwardly directed nozzles for discharging jets of water, said nozzles being slightly centrally directed so that the jets converge into a single stream while falling; a collecting bowl disposed centrally and upwardly of said nozzles for receiving the single stream; and a brush disposed within said collecting bowl, said brush having upwardly directed bristles against which the single stream impinges, thereby muflling the noise of falling water and precluding splashing.

10. A fountain comprising in combination, a plurality of generally circularly disposed upwardly directed nozzles for discharging jets of water, said nozzles being slightly centrally directed so that the jets converge into a single stream while falling thereby having a bell-shaped configuration; a collecting bowl disposed centrally and upwardly of said nozzles for receiving the single stream, said bowl having an axially downwardly directed openv 6 i ing for discharging water; an upwardly opening circular member disposed beneath said bowl and receiving water therefrom, whereby water may radially outwardly overflow from said upwardly opening circular member and fall in a second bell-shaped configuration disposed wholly within the first bell-shaped configuration.

11. In a fountain having a bowl for holding a sump of water, and a pump communicating with the sump for removing water therefrom for recirculation, the improvement comprising, in combination: means for receiving and distributing pressurized water from the pump; means disposed in the bowl and communicating with said first named means for upwardly convergingly discharging jets of water; and a dish corresponding in peripheral configuration to the bowl, but having smaller extent; said dish enclosing said discharging means and having an aperture for each of said jets; said dish having a vertically directed central opening for returning water to the sump bowl; said dish having a continuous peripheral portion engaging the interior of the bowl and defining therewith an annular passage of generally U-shaped cross section, said passage being thereby excluded from the recirculating Water whereby living ornamentation may be displayed therein.

12. In a fountain having a sump bowl, a pump communicating with the bowl for pumping water therefrom for recirculation, a plurality of generally upwardly directed circularly disposed nozzles positioned above the water level in the sump bowl for discharging jets of water, and a first annular manifold supporting the nozzles, the improvement comprising, in combination therewith: a second annular manifold connected to the outlet of the pump, said second manifold being disposed belowthe water level of the sump bowl; and a plurality of pipes connecting said second manifold to the first manifold.

13. In a fountain having a sump bowl, a;pump operatively communicating with the bowl for pumping water therefrom for recirculation, a plurality of generally upwardly directed circularly disposed nozzles positioned above the water level in the sump bowl for discharging jets of water, and a nozzle ring supported by the bowl and supporting the nozzles, the improvement comprising, in combination: an annular manifold connected to the outlet of the pump, said manifold being supported by the bowl and disposed in the water of the sump bowl; and a plurality of pipes fluidly connecting said manifold to the nozzle ring; said annular manifold having an upwardly diverging inner periphery for reflecting light; a lamp disposed axially within said inner periphery, the globe of said lamp being in direct contact with sump water; a multicolored filter disk rotatably supported in the bowl above said reflecting manifold in direct contact with the sump water, said disk having a plurality of radial vanes disposed in generally vertical planes; means in the bowl communicating with the pump for directing a flow of water against at least one of said vanes to rotate said disc; said plurality of vanes and the sump water thereby jointly minimizing the speed of said disk rotation; a contoured dish supported by the bowl and disposed above and enclosing both the nozzle ring and said manifold, said dish having an aperture aligned with each of the jets of water, and a vertically directed central aperture aligned with said lamp through which aperture colored light may pass upwardly; and a generally tubular shield received in saisd central aperture for limiting the included angle of the light, to thereby preclude glare.

14. In a fountain having a sump bowl, a pump communicating with the 'bowl for pumping water therefrom for recirculation, a plurality of generally upwardly directed circularly disposed nozzles positioned above the water level in the sump bowl for discharging jets of water, and a nozzle ring supporting the nozzles, the improvement comprising, in combination: an annular manifold connected to the outlet of the pump, said manifold being disposed below the water level of the sump. bowl; and a plurality of pipes connecting said manifold to the nozzle ring; a contoured dish disposed above and enclosing the nozzle ring and said manifold, said dish having an aperture aligned with each of the jets of water, and a vertically directed central aperture; a generally tubular member received in said central aperture and extending upwardly to a height below said jet apertures to thereby limit the depth of water in said dish by returning excess water through said tubular member to the sump bowl; a collecting bowl disposed centrally and upwardly of the nozzles, the nozzles being slightly centrally directed so that the nozzles discharge into said collecting bowl; a brush disposed within said collecting bowl, said brush having upwardly directed bristles against which water impinges to minimize noise and splashing; said collecting bowl having a downwardly directed opening for discharging water; and an upwardly opening circular member disposed beneath said collecting bowl and receiving water therefrom, whereby water may overflow the open end thereof and fall in a bell shaped configuration to said contoured dish.

15. A fountain having in combination: a bowl having a double bottom for holding a sump of water therebetween, said bottoms each being provided with an aligned central aperture; a first hollow annular fluid manifold axially and sealably received within the aperture of the lower of said bottoms, said manifold being adapted to axially receive and sealably support a lamp, and to reflect light therefrom through the aperture in the upper of said bottoms; said manifold having a fluid pressure inlet to its hollow interior; a second hollow annular fluid manifold disposed between said bottoms and having a plurality of upwardly directed nozzles; a plurality of pipes interconnecting said manifolds and supporting said second manifold; said upper bottom having a series of openings each aligned with one of said nozzles; a multicolor disc rotatably mounted between said bottoms f9; rotation about a vertical axis eccentric to the lamp, said disc extending between the lamp and the aperture in said upper bottom; a fluid nozzle disposed intermediate said bottoms and directed toward said disc; means sup, porting said fluid nozzle and communicating it with one of said manifolds; a cylindrical mfimber coaxially carried in the aperture of said upper bottom; and a fluid return pipe supported by said first manifold for IQIIIQY? ing water from the sump.

16. An illuminated fountain having in combination: a sump bowl having a central aperture; a hollow annular fluid manifold axially received in said aperture, said manifold having a generally cylindrical outer wall in sealing engagement with said bowl and a generally frusto-conical inner wall diverging in an upward direction and adapted to axially receive and sealingly en gage a lamp therein; said manifold having a fluid pressure inlet to its hollow interior; and a plurality of up; wardly directed nozzles communicating with and supported by said manifold.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 492,999 Trouve Mar. '1', 1893 1,728,456 Stuewe Septul'], 1928 1,837,732 Stabler Dec. 22, 1931 1,965,323 Taslitt July 3, 1934 2,034,792 Bergman a Mar. 24, 1936 2,582,659 Tamminga Jan. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 601,041 France Nov. 23 1925 262,305 Great Britain Dec. 9, 1 926 921,643 Germany Dec. 23, 1954 

